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Notre Dame’s iconic stadium will be flanked by three massive buildings under a $400 million
project that also will create nearly 4,000 premium seats.

The new buildings will add about 750,000 square feet and house a student center, the
anthropology and psychology departments, a digital media center and the music and sacred music
departments. The side facing Touchdown Jesus won’t be changed.

The buildings on the east and west sides of the stadium will rise nine stories and include
premium seating, increasing the capacity of Notre Dame Stadium from 80,795 to more than 84,000,
although widening seats on the benches could cut down the number of seats.

The south building will be six stories high and include a hospitality area. The student center
will include a recreation center and allow the university to turn the existing Rolfs Sports
Recreation Center into the practice home for the basketball teams.

Construction would begin next year at the earliest and would take nearly three years.

The work isn’t expected to make any significant changes to the inside of the 84-year-old
stadium, though there’s still no decision on whether to add video boards for instant replay or
switch to an artificial playing surface. A decision on the playing surface will be made soon. New
grass had to be installed three times last year.

• Minnesota quarterback
Phillip Nelson is transferring to Rutgers.

Nelson started 16 games for the Gophers in two seasons. He threw for 2,179 yards and 17
touchdowns and rushed for 548 yards and six TDs. He will have two years of eligibility left.

NFL

Martin says he still wants to play professionally

Offensive lineman
Jonathan Martin wants to return to the NFL, he said in an interview aired
yesterday in which he claimed that racial, aggressive and sexually charged comments all played a
role in his departure from the Miami Dolphins.

Martin also said he was not the only victim of hazing in the Dolphins’ locker room.

Martin told his side of the story to former NFL coach
Tony Dungy, an analyst for NBC. Dungy is part of a committee assigned by Dolphins
owner
Stephen Ross to review the team’s code of conduct, and said on NBC’s
Today show that he has spoken with three general managers who believe Martin will have the
chance to play again.

New York attorney
Ted Wells began an investigation of Martin’s allegations ordered by the NFL in
November, and his report will be released after the Super Bowl.

• The St. Louis Rams fired defensive coordinator
Tim Walton after finishing in the middle of the pack statistically in his one
season.

Baseball

Berkman to retire after 15 years in big leagues

Six-time All-Star
Lance Berkman is retiring after 15 seasons in the major leagues.

Berkman almost left the game last offseason before signing with the Texas Rangers. He then had
another injury-plagued season and was limited to 73 games.

Berkman, 37, was Houston’s first-round draft pick in 1997 out of Rice and played 12 seasons for
the Astros. He played 1,879 career games, all but 287 for Houston, finishing as a .293 career
hitter with 366 home runs and 1,234 RBI.

• Scott Sizemore was among nine players agreeing to minor-league contracts with
the New York Yankees, giving the team another option as
Alex Rodriguez’s replacement at third base.

Sizemore, 29, has been limited to six games the past two seasons because of an injured left knee
that twice required surgery.

• Infielder
Ramon Santiago agreed to a minor-league contract with the Cincinnati Reds after 12
seasons with the Detroit Tigers.

The 34-year-old hit .224 with one homer and 14 RBI in 80 games last season.